1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical disk apparatus for performing playback and recording of an optical disk.
2. Description of the Related Art
As an apparatus for performing playback or recording of optical disk media such as MOs, PDs, CDs, CD-ROMs, CD-Rs, CD-RWs, DVD-ROMS, DVD-RAMs, ±RWs, and ±Rs, there are a CD-ROM drive apparatus, a PD drive apparatus, and the like. In the present invention, these apparatuses are collectively referred to as an optical disk apparatus.
Conventionally, the optical disk apparatus has been implemented as a small-sized, thin apparatus, so that the apparatus is installed in a portable personal computer (hereinafter, referred to as a PC). Recently, in many cases, the optical disk apparatus has been installed in a small-sized, thin notebook PC.
This is because a large amount of data is required for software used to a computer and because inexpensive CD-ROMs distributed together with media such as magazines are widely employed. Therefore, the optical disk driver has been necessarily installed in the computer (for example, see Patent Document 1).
Now, an example of the aforementioned conventional disk apparatus (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-296997) is described. A structure of an optical disk drive having a total thickness of 12.7 mm used for a notebook PC or a thin desktop PC (including a display-body-integrated PC) is described. Conventionally, two types are proposed as follows.
In the one type, a user directly mounts an optical disk on a turntable, that is, a part of the pickup and pushes a tray including the turntable into a drive case by the hand, so that the apparatus becomes in a state that playback and recording of the optical disk can be performed. The type is called a drawer type.
In the other type, the optical disk is moved to a front surface of the apparatus, and the optical disk is inserted in a slit formed on a cover called a front bezel formed on the front surface of the apparatus. When the optical disk is inserted into a predetermined position in the apparatus, the optical disk is automatically is inserted into an inner portion of the apparatus, that is, the turntable by an insertion member such as a roller provided in an inner portion of the apparatus. The type is called a slot loading type.
Commercially, the drawer type is dominating, so that most of markets are occupied by the drawer type. In the drawer type, a U-shaped flexible board is used to electrically connect the tray to a board for connecting the optical disk apparatus to the PC.
FIG. 17 is an exploded perspective view showing a conventional drawer type disk apparatus. Referring to FIG. 17, reference numeral 100 denotes an optical disk rotation suppressing member which is disposed at one end portion of a bottom cover 106b and made of a flexible material such as sponge and contacts an optical disk 27 to stop rotation of the optical disk 27. Reference numeral 101 denotes a tray on which the optical disk 27 is rotatably mounted. Reference numeral 102 denotes a spindle motor. Reference numeral 103 denotes a turntable. Reference numeral 104 denotes a front bezel. Reference numeral 105 denotes a rail which connects the tray 101 to a frame. Reference numeral 106a denotes an upper cover which constitutes an upper frame and protects the optical disk apparatus from a weight force or the like exerted from an upper portion. Reference numeral 106b denotes a bottom cover which constitutes a lower frame and supports the tray 101, the rail 105, and the like. Reference numeral 107 denotes a rail guide which is attached to the bottom cover 106b and allows the rail 105 and the tray 101 to smoothly slide. Reference numeral 108 denotes a main board which is attached to the bottom cover 106b in the example. Reference numeral 109 denotes an auxiliary board which electrically connects the main board 108 to the pickup module for reading out information recorded on the optical disk 27 mounted on the tray 101. Reference numeral 110 denotes a flexible board which electrically connects the auxiliary board 109 to the main board 108.
In the conventional optical disk apparatus having such a construction, when the tray 101 is moved and received in a receiving position in the frame as shown by an arrow of FIG. 17, the optical disk rotation suppressing member 100 contacts the optical disk 27, so that the rotation of the optical disk 27 is stopped.
In addition, FIGS. 18(a) and 18(b) are partial enlarged views of a member of holding the tray in the frame which has been recently used in companies. FIG. 18(a) shows a state that the tray 101 is fixed (received) by the latching solenoid 111. FIG. 18(b) is a view showing a state that the fixing (receiving) of the tray 101 is released by the fixing releasing spring 116 after the latching solenoid 111 is turned on. Reference numeral 111 denotes a latching solenoid which uses a permanent magnet in a magnetic circuit and performs holding in a suction state by using a suction force of the permanent magnet.
Reference numeral 111a denotes a plunger. Reference numeral 111b denotes a coil. Reference numeral 111c denotes a permanent magnet. Reference numeral 112 denotes a fixing means which is engaged with the fixing pin 103 attached on the bottom cover 106b (see FIG. 17) to hold the tray 101 in the inner portion of the frame. Reference numeral 114 denotes a fixing means rotation spring for exerting a weight force in a rotational direction on the fixing means 112. Reference numeral 115 denotes a fixing releasing member which pulls the plunger 111a in a direction h shown in the figure to release the receiving of the tray 101 when a current is applied to the latching solenoid 111. Reference numeral 116 denotes a fixing releasing spring which exerts a force of pulling the plunger 111a on the fixing releasing member 115. Reference numeral 117 denotes a restoring member which contacts the fixing pin 113 to restore the fixing releasing member 115 to a fixing position when the tray 101 is inserted into the bottom cover 106b. Reference numeral 118 is a hold spring which holds the restoring member 117 at a position where the restoring member accurately contacts the fixing pin 113 when the tray 101 is inserted to the bottom cover 106b. Reference number 119 denotes a compulsory ejection member which is used to release the fixing of the tray 101 to the frame by inserting a pin or other members from the front surface of the apparatus to rotate the member, and allowing a cam portion to push a cam of the fixing means 112 in a case where a voltage cannot be supplied to the optical disk apparatus due to a power disconnection of the PC and in a case where the tray 101 cannot be taken out from the frame due to an operational failure of the optical disk apparatus.
In a state of FIG. 18(a), when the coil 111b is turned on, a magnetic field for canceling a suction force of the permanent magnet 111c is generated, so that the plunger 111a is moved in a direction h in the figure by the fixing releasing spring 116, and the fixing releasing member 115 is rotated in a direction j of the figure. Next, the fixing releasing member 115 provides a driving force to the fixing means 112 in the rotational direction, so that the receiving of the tray 101 is released. Next, after the optical disk is mounted on the tray 101, when the tray is inserted into the bottom cover 106b, the fixing pin 113 attached on the bottom cover is relatively moved in a direction 1 of the figure to contact the restoring member 117, so that the restoring member 117 is rotated in a direction k of the figure. Therefore, the fixing releasing member 115 engaged with the restoring member 117 is rotated in a reverse direction of the direction of the releasing time. As a result, the plunger 111a is moved in the reverse direction of the direction h to be suctioned to the permanent magnet 111c, so that the receiving of the tray 101 is completed.
Currently, an optical disk apparatus employed by a notebook computer of which portability is an important factor mainly has a total thickness of 12.7 mm. In addition, currently, a thin, light-weight notebook computer of which portability is more importance factor has a total thickness of 9.5 mm. In the future, thinner and lighter notebook computers are expected to be distributed, so that a new thinner and lighter optical disk apparatus may be required. In addition, due to multi-functional drives, an optical base plate and a pickup mode for supporting and carrying thereof become large, so that an area capable of accommodating the tray and operational means in an inner portion of a case of the optical disk apparatus is reduced.
Therefore, in a thin optical disk apparatus a thickness of 9.5 mm or less becomes a form factor of an optical disk apparatus built in a current notebook PC. It is practically impossible to employ a structure were a step difference is formed on a sheet metal member surrounding a lower portion of the frame.
In conventional optical disk apparatuses having a total thinness of 12.7 mm and 9.5 mm, a rail for connecting the tray to the frame is located at a left end of the frame and a step difference formed along the frame. For the reason, a right end portion of the frame becomes a surplus space except for an area where the optical disk is rotated. In the space, an optical disk rotation suppressing member 100 which directly contacts an end surface of the optical disk to stop the rotation of the optical disk when the tray is taken out from the frame may be disposed (see FIG. 17)
On the other hand, in a thinner optical disk apparatus, the rails are located at left and right ends of the tray, and a predetermined strength is required for the rails and the tray. Therefore, the optical disk rotation suppressing member 100 which is disposed to prevent the optical disk in a rational state from being discharged when the tray is taken out from the frame cannot be disposed at the same position of the optical disk apparatuses having a total thickness of 12.7 mm and 9.5 mm
In addition, when members having the same function are disposed on the upper cover or the like, a member for preventing the rotation of the optical disk and a structure for moving the member in synchronization with the movement of a carrying means are needed, so that a total thickness of the optical disk apparatus cannot be reduced.